Find out how popular the last name Smotherman is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Smotherman.

Smotherman, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Smotherman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Smotherman in America

Smotherman is the 12467th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Smotherman surname appeared 2,490 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Smotherman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Smotherman to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Smotherman

The surname Smotherman has its origins in England, emerging sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. It is believed to be an occupational surname, derived from the Old English words "smor" meaning butter or cream, and "man," which would have referred to someone who worked with or sold dairy products, particularly butter or cream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Nottinghamshire, where a John Smotherman was baptized in 1612. This suggests that the name was already well-established in that region by the early 1600s.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, variations of the name included Smotherham, Smothram, and Smothrham, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the place name Smotherham, a small village in North Yorkshire.

A notable early bearer of the surname was William Smotherman, a successful merchant and landowner who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 17th century. Records indicate that he owned substantial properties in the Cotswolds area and was a prominent figure in local affairs.

Another historical figure was John Smotherman, a soldier who fought in the English Civil War (1642-1651) on the Parliamentarian side. He is mentioned in several contemporary accounts for his bravery and leadership during the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In the 18th century, the Smotherman family had established a presence in London, with several members working as tradesmen and artisans. One of them, Thomas Smotherman (1732-1812), was a respected clockmaker whose timepieces were highly prized by the city's elite.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Smothermans migrated from rural areas to cities in search of employment opportunities. This led to the name becoming more widely dispersed throughout England and, later, other parts of the British Empire.

One notable figure from this period was Sarah Smotherman (1848-1926), a pioneering educator who established several schools for underprivileged children in the East End of London. Her work was recognized by Queen Victoria, who awarded her the Royal Red Cross for her contributions to education and social welfare.

Overall, the surname Smotherman has a rich history that spans several centuries and reflects the diverse occupations and accomplishments of those who have borne it throughout England's past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Smotherman

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Smotherman.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Smotherman was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Smotherman has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Smotherman was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Smotherman, please contact us.

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